Tom Homan, incoming Trump administration “border czar,” announced the resumption of family detention for undocumented immigrants. This controversial policy will involve placing families with children in detention centers as part of a broader effort to deport undocumented immigrants. Homan, considered the architect of the Trump administration’s widely criticized family separation policy, stated that the deportation of parents, even those with US-born children, will proceed. Parents will be given the choice of leaving the country with their children or leaving their children behind in the US.
Homan justified this approach by stating, “You knew you were in the country illegally and chose to have a child. So you put your family in that position.” He detailed plans to use soft-sided tent structures, similar to those used during previous immigration surges, to house these families. The number of facilities and beds required will depend on data analysis, he explained. This decision reverses the Biden administration’s 2021 end to family detention, which involved closing three facilities with a capacity of approximately 3,000 beds following criticism from advocates and pediatricians who highlighted the harmful effects on children.
Homan’s announcement represents a significant step towards fulfilling President-elect Trump’s pledge to deport an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants. While stating the administration’s intention is to deport families together, he acknowledged the legal inability to deport US-born children, placing the onus of family separation on the parents. He emphasized a desire to maintain public trust, stating, “We need to show the American people we can do this and not be inhumane about it. We can’t lose the faith of the American people.”
Homan, who played a key role in the previous administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in the separation of approximately 4,000 children from their parents, declined to set a specific deportation target until resources are assessed. He will serve as White House border czar, a position not requiring Senate confirmation, and will not directly oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which will fall under Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee for Homeland Security Secretary (pending confirmation). While Trump has discussed using National Guard troops in deportations, Homan clarified that only trained law enforcement officials will conduct arrests, with military personnel limited to support roles. He emphasized that arrests would target individuals with criminal records, dismissing the notion of widespread sweeps.
Homan also intends to reinstate worksite raids by ICE officials and the “remain in Mexico” program, both ended by the Biden administration. He anticipates employer backlash regarding worksite enforcement and acknowledges the need to develop a comprehensive plan.